Shangri La, Hawaii, United States

5Larry M 5:00 PM Feb 19, 2022

Great Introduction to Islamic Art
This mansion can only be visited in conjunction with a visit to the Honolulu Museum of Art. You’re taken to the mansion by shuttle from the museum; once there, you have 90 minutes or so to explore the mansion. Staff give a number of (optional) excellent explanatory talks, which are highly recommended, although attending the talks results in a limited amount of time for browsing. Note that reservations must be made for this tour, and when reservations open (see Art Museum Website), they tend to sell out fast. On our tour, there were several standby participants, but some folks were denied access, possibly due to Covid spacing requirements on the shuttle. One great thing about the tour - presumably to entice people to assemble for the return shuttle trip, they serve the absolute best ice cream sandwiches EVER just before the shuttle leaves for the art gallery!

5Erin2B 5:00 PM Jul 21, 2020

Doris Duke's dream made real
Shangri La is literally like no place else on earth. Although one may criticize Doris Duke for combining elements that would never be seen together (or even in the same country), that is precisely the beauty of the place. It is as unique as the surfing heiress herself. Doris Duke's impeccable taste (and her unlimited funds) is manifested in every element of her home. The tour, which is the only way to experience Shangri La, is amazing. Our guide was extremely knowledgable and engaging, especially for folks who don't know a lot about Islamic and Middle Eastern art and architecture. Full disclosure: I am an art historian and I had the great good fortune to work on the book Doris Duke's Shangri La: A House in Paradise (2012). The book is full of amazing photographs and stories of Doris Duke's travels and support of local artisans. Make sure you reserve your tickets early (and plan to spend some additional time at the Honolulu Museum of Art before or after the tour of Shangri La).